Fracture-indicating plug.



H. VAN DYKEN.

' FRAcTURE INDICATING PLUG.

APPLICATION FILED JAN-2 1913.

Patented Aug. 31, 191.5.

Attorne ys HARRY VAN DYKEN, or rwo HARBORS, MINNESOTA.

FRACTURE-INDICA'IING PLUG.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 31, 1915.

Application filed January 2, 1913. Serial No. 739,866.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, HARRY VAN DYKEN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Two Harbors, in the county of Lake and State of Minnesota, have invented a new and useful Fracture-Indicating Plug, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to means for indicating fractures in crank pins and is more particularly designed as an improvement upon the structure disclosed in an application filed by me on January 8, 1912, Serial N 0. 670,115.

In devices of this character such as heretofore devised, difliculty has been experienced in filling the bore which extends through the wheel and into the crank pin.

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide improved means whereby an indicating agent such as a colored or an odoriferous liquid may be directed into the bore, it being possible at any time to determine readily whether or not a fracture has been produced in the crank pin and a portion of the contained liquid liberated.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed, can be made within the scope of what is claimed, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the accompanying drawings the preferred form of the invention has been shown.

In said drawings: Figure 1 is a side elevation of a portion of a wheel having the present improvements combined therewith. Fig. 2 is an enlarged section on line AB Fig. l, a portion of the crank pin being shown in elevation. Fig. 3 is an enlarged central longitudinal section through the plug. Fig. i is a section on line C-D Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 3 but showing a modified form.

Referring to the figures by characters of reference 1 designates a portion of the drive wheel of a locomotive or the like, the same being provided with the usual crank pin 2. A bore 3 is extended into the crank pin from one end of the pin and is preferably provided with a reduced inner end portion 4 which intersects the line along which fractures of crank pins invariably occur. The

outer end of the bore 3 is counter bored, as at 5 so as to receive a threaded plug 6 formed with a longitudinal passage 7 and a branch passage 8 which extends at right angles to the passage 7. A by-pass 9 connects the passage 8 with the interior of bore 3 adjacent the wall of the bore, this bypass 9 being preferably parallel with the passage '7'. A suitable closure, such as a screw plug 10', is mounted in the outer end portion of the passage 8. a

In using the device herein described, the

plug '6, which is preferably provided with an angular head 11, is screwed into the counter bore 5 until it fits tightly therein. The wheel 1 is then rotated until the plug 10 is brought into position above the head 11 whereupon said plug is removed and an indicating agent such as a colored or an odoriferous liquid, oil, or any other suitable substance of a fluid nature, is poured downwardly into passage 8 and flows therefrom through passage 7 into bore 3 and its extension 4. The air displaced by the inflowing liquid escapes through the by-pass 9 and, when the level of the liquid reaches the level of the by-pass, plug 10 can be reinserted into head 11 so as thus to completely fill the device. Thus it will be seen that the liquid contents of the bore are completely sealed and cannot evaporate. If, however, the crank pin 2 should crack so that the fracture intersects the reduced portion 4 of the bore 3, a portion of the liquid agent contained in the bore will escape through the fracture. If, therefore, an inspection of the interior of the plug 6 discloses the fact that the liquid within the bore 3 has moved to a lower level than that originally occupied, it will be obvious that a portion of the liquid has escaped in some manner from the bore. This will be conclusive evidence that there is a break at some point in the crank pin. If the liquid agent is colored or is odoriferous, its escape through the fracture will be made obvious without necessitating the removal of plug 10 and an inspection of the interior of the plug 6.

By referring to the drawings it will be seen that the passage 7 and by-pass 9 are arranged in the same plane with the longitudinal axis of the radial passage 8 so that, when the said radial passage is arranged vertically, the by-pass will always be directly over the passage 7. Consequently, when the closure is left in position with the passage 8 Vertical, the by-pass 9 will be extended from the uppermost portion of the interior of the bore 3.

Instead of being dependent upon the removal of the plug 10 When it is desired to inspect the contents of the bore 3 and the plug 6, a sight-- glass 12 orthe like may be seated in one end of passage 1;? WhlQh extends entirely through the plug ll, this glass heing held in; place in any suitable manue a s) byof a 1 1M115, ther be? ing a Washer'1j6 interppsfid between! theinut and the peripheral portion, of the glass. Thus leakage of liquid around-the glass 12 is prevented, by looking through. this la si e n be qi f 11y eterm e Whether o net of the i ui h s c ped- Wha is elaim d 5- T e eombimtien with a n ainer normally in a horizontal position, of a plug for closing one end of the container, said plug having-a= plurality of longitudinal passages extending beyond the container and also provided With a radial passage With Which said longitudinal passages constantly communicate at one end, one of said longitudipassages opening into the container at the periphery thereof, and a closure in the outer end of the radial passage and stopping short of the longitudinal passages.

In. testimony that I claim the foregoing as own, I haye hereto aflixed my signature in the, presence of two Witnesses.

HARRY VAN DY KEN.

Witnesses;

A. C. Dow, Jn, JloHN A. BARTON.

qppie s 9i, thispatent play Ine obtained. for five cents each, by add-messing the Commissioner of Patents,

' Washington, D. C. 

